The shelter in the First Baptist Church on West Avenue in La Crosse has been housing about 15 guests a night since opening in November.

In its first three months, volunteers welcomed more than 1,200 people through their doors.

The shelter provides a warm meal and a place to stay during the colder months.

Organizers say they see familiar faces every night, but are seeing an increase in the number of new people coming to the shelter. "Sometimes people will come for a night or two and we won't see them again, but these are entirely new people we've never seen before. So I think the need is out there and the word is getting out and people are coming to us who need a place to stay," said shelter director Mary Fitzpatrick.

Shelter leaders hopes to find a bigger space in the future to avoid turning anyone away.

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